The Basics of Genetics

Professor Betsey Dexter Dyer examines the wide ranging field of genetics, which is the study of the hereditary information of organisms, how it is used, and how it is transferred through generations. These fascinating lectures also address DNA sequences and how they apply to "genetic engineering," viruses, and genetic diseases such as cancers and birth defects.

Genes, Chromosomes, and Disease: From Simple Traits to Complex Traits to Personalized Medicine

This listenable overview covers the rise of medical genetics through the past century, and the eugenic impulses it has inspired. Nicholas Gillham reviews the linkages between genes and disease, ethnic groups' differential susceptibility to genetic traits and disorders, personalized medicine, and crucial social and ethical issues arising from the field's progress.

Understanding Genetics: DNA, Genes, and Their Real-World Applications

We use DNA routinely - to cure diseases, solve crimes, and reunite families. Yet we've known about it for only 60 years. And what we're continuing to learn about it every day has the potential to transform our health, our nutrition, our society, and our future. But what, exactly is DNA, the self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms?

The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine

A scientific and medical revolution has crept up on us, based on study after study, from hundreds of laboratories around the world. It is no longer just a theoretical shift: every one of us will be touched by it, and many of us already have been. The meaning of disease, our understanding of the human body, and crucial decisions about what we all need to know and what choices we make about our health are at stake. Welcome to the new world of personalized medicine.

The Modern Scholar: The Building Blocks of Human Life: Understanding Mature Cells and Stem Cells

In clear, concise language, Professor Young explains the basic categories of cells and tissues and then delves into their specialized functions, whether it be for muscle cells and nervous tissue or the cells of reproductive organs and the highly unusual entities known as "extreme" cells. Finally, Professor Young wraps up the lectures with a topic of universal interest-the death and aging of cells.

The Modern Scholar: Unseen Diversity: The World of Bacteria

Professor Betsey Dexter Dyer of Wheaton College examines the role of bacteria as major players in Earth's biodiversity. In the course of these fascinating lectures, Professor Dyer delves into the history of microbiology, the four billion year history of bacteria and archaea as the dominant organisms on Earth, and the place of pathogens in the greater context of the bacterial world. This course serves as both a field guide for curious naturalists and a friendly introduction to the world of bacteria and archaea.

Epigenetics: The Ultimate Mystery of Inheritance

The burgeoning new science of epigenetics offers a cornucopia of insights - some comforting, some frightening. For example, the male fetus may be especially vulnerable to certain common chemicals in our environment, in ways that damage not only his own sperm but also the sperm of his sons. And it’s epigenetics that causes identical twins to vary widely in their susceptibility to dementia and cancer. But here’s the good news: unlike mutations, epigenetic effects are reversible. Indeed, epigenetic engineering is the future of medicine.

What Is Life?: How Chemistry Becomes Biology

Seventy years ago, Erwin Schrdinger posed a simple, yet profound, question: What is life?. How could the very existence of such extraordinary chemical systems be understood? This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists both before, and ever since. Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties, such as self-maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter. So how does chemistry give rise to biology?

Most of the 25,000 genes we possess are the same for all of us. Compatibility genes are those that vary most from person to person and give each of us a unique molecular signature. These genes determine both the extent to which we are susceptible to a vast range of illnesses and the different ways each of us fights disease.

Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters

Arguably the most significant scientific discovery of the new century, the mapping of the 23 pairs of chromosomes that make up the human genome raises almost as many questions as it answers - questions that will profoundly impact the way we think about disease, about longevity, and about free will. Questions that will affect the rest of your life. Matt Ridley here probes the scientific, philosophical, and moral issues arising as a result of the mapping of the genome.

p53: The Gene That Cracked the Cancer Code

p53: The Gene That Cracked the Cancer Code reveals the tale of the search for this gene, as well as the excitement of the hunt for new cures - the hype, the lost opportunities, the blind alleys, and the thrilling breakthroughs. As the long-anticipated revolution in cancer treatment tailored to each individual patient's symptoms starts to take off at last, p53 is still at the forefront of the game. This is a timely tale of scientific discovery and advances in our understanding of a disease that still affects more than one in three of us at some point in our lives.

Barron's EZ-101 Study Keys: Biology, Second Edition

Barron's EZ-101 Study Keys give you a valuable overview of your college-level course. Classroom-style notes emphasize important facts, remind you what you need to remember for term papers and exams, and help guide you through the complexities of lectures and textbooks. Biology covers key topics, including the chemical basis of life, cells and tissues, bioenergetics, genetics, structure and function of body systems, ecology, evolution, and organic diversity.

Biology: The Science of Life

One of the greatest scientific feats of our era is the astonishing progress made in understanding biology-the intricate machinery of life-a progress to which the period we are living in right now has contributed the most.As you read these words, researchers are delving ever deeper into the workings of living systems, turning their discoveries into new medical treatments, improved methods of growing food, and innovative products that are already changing the world.

The Philadelphia Chromosome: A Mutant Gene and the Quest to Cure Cancer at the Genetic Level

Almost daily, headlines announce newly discovered links between cancers and their genetic causes. Science journalist Jessica Wapner vividly relates the backstory behind those headlines, reconstructing the crucial breakthroughs, explaining the science behind them, and giving due to the dozens of researchers, doctors, and patients whose curiosity and determination restored the promise of a future to the more than 50,000 people diagnosed each year with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML).

The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution

DNA is the genetic material that defines us as individuals. Over the last two decades, it has emerged as a powerful tool for solving crimes and determining guilt and innocence. But, very recently, an important new aspect of DNA has been revealed: it contains a detailed record of evolution. That is, DNA is a living chronicle of how the marvelous creatures that inhabit our planet have adapted to its many environments, from the freezing waters of the Antarctic to the lush canopy of the rain forest.

Conventional wisdom dictates that our genetic destiny is fixed at conception. But Dr. Moalem's groundbreaking book shows us that the human genome is far more fluid and fascinating than your ninth grade biology teacher ever imagined. By bringing us to the bedside of his unique and complex patients, he masterfully demonstrates what rare genetic conditions can teach us all about our own health and well-being. In the brave new world we're rapidly rocketing into, genetic knowledge has become absolutely crucial. Inheritance provides an indispensable roadmap for this journey.

AP Biology 2009: Your Audio Guide to Getting a 5

We've taken all the most important concepts covered by the AP Biology test and turned them into over six hours of entertaining and educational lecture. We'll cover everything you need to know, including the stuff your teacher might have missed out on: like how to take the test, how to pace yourself and what the questions are going to be like.

The Modern Scholar: Basic Human Anatomy: The Beauty of Form and Function

The structures that lie beneath our skin represent a remarkable and beautiful assortment of biological mechanisms that are essential for our lives. However, we often take these structures for granted. In these 14 fascinating lectures, a basic overview of the human body, its physical features, biological systems, and general functioning will be presented for the benefit of anyone from budding medical students to curious laymen.

VangoNotes for Microbiology: An Introduction 9/e

You're busy. We get it. With VangoNotes you can study "in between" all the other things you need to get done. VangoNotes gives you the confidence you need to succeed in the classroom. They're flexible; just download and go. And, they're efficient. Use them in your car, at the gym, walking to class, wherever. Get yours today and start studying.

Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes

A preeminent geneticist hunts the Neanderthal genome to answer the biggest question of them all: what does it mean to be human? What can we learn from the genes of our closest evolutionary relatives? Neanderthal Man tells the story of geneticist Svante Pbo’s mission to answer that question, beginning with the study of DNA in Egyptian mummies in the early 1980s and culminating in his sequencing of the Neanderthal genome in 2009.

Follow Your Gut: The Enormous Impact of Tiny Microbes

Allergies, asthma, obesity, stomachaches, acne: These are just a few of the conditions that may be caused - and cured - by the microscopic life inside us. Understand how to use groundbreaking science to improve your health, mood, and more.

The History of Science: 1700-1900

The scientific theories that were first discovered and made public in the years 1700-1900 are some of the most pivotal in history. Landmark theories of planetary motion, the workings of nature, and the speed of light were all ideas that took the world by storm. Now you can share in that story of discovery in a series of 36 lectures designed to give you a rock-solid understanding of the great discoveries of Newton, Darwin, Franklin, Pasteur, and so many others.

A Bridge to the Future: Understanding Nanotechnology, Part 1: The Modern Scholar

Nanotechnology is radically altering the world in ways almost unimaginable in only the very recent past. With applications in arenas from medicine and science to warfare and even the world of sports, nanotechnology opens the doorway to a vast array of breathtaking possibilities. In this series of clearly articulated lectures, Professor Deborah Gibbs Sauder explores the world of nanotechnology and all its astounding applications, while also examining the ethical issues raised by the science and the impact nanotechnology is having on big business.

VangoNotes for Microbiology: An Introduction 10/e

You're busy. We get it. With VangoNotes you can study "in between" all the other things you need to get done. VangoNotes gives you the confidence you need to succeed in the classroom. They're flexible; just download and go. And, they're efficient. Use them in your car, at the gym, walking to class, wherever. Get yours today and start studying.

Publisher's Summary

Professor Betsey Dexter Dyer examines the wide ranging field of genetics, which is the study of the hereditary information of organisms, how it is used, and how it is transferred through generations. These fascinating lectures also address DNA sequences and how they apply to "genetic engineering," viruses, and genetic diseases such as cancers and birth defects. In addition to examining why people look and act the way they do, the course also considers the philosophical issues associated with such controversial topics as cloning and genetic ID cards.

For some time I have been looking for a primer on genetics that would prepare me to navigate the technical vocabulary and many concepts of that science that I encounter everyday in articles, news, and lectures. Dr. Dyer's set of lectures was the perfect answer. She repeatedly moved from metaphor to concept to label letting the listener first understand and then retain the many facets of genetics. Now I understand the relationships between bases, dna, rna, chromosomes, and alleles. Not since my grandmother taught me the differences of cities, states, and countries when I was five, have felt so satisfied by an explanation. Thanks Dr. Dyer.

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